Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephone switching systems in general and, more particularly, to telephone systems wherein interconnections between calling and called parties are performed under control of data processing or computer equipment. The present invention is especially useful in conjunction with telephone interconnection systems which are intended for providing the most economical domestic and international telephone service to those who subscribe to the service by providing apparatus and methods in a system organized for quickly and efficiently employing the most advantageous domestic and international tariff rates to user originated traffic.
Tariff rates for originating traffic often vary greatly. There is a need, therefore, to provide a service that will allow callers to take advantage of tariff rate differences to achieve the most economically advantageous cost for their respective domestic and international traffic.